No Need For More Drumming Inspiration: What Really Helps

Oh, you just need more drumming inspiration!

I’m sure you’ve heard this advice a trillion times:

• Watch your favorite drummers online.
• Go visit more live concerts.
• Take weekly drum lessons.

Agreed, those are practical tips.

Still, there’s a way, way, WAY more helpful tip, if you lack motivation right now:

You don’t need more drumming inspiration.

You need more internal motivation.

External Inspiration vs. Internal Motivation In Drumming

Think about that:

Does your inspiration mainly come from other people like

• your teacher hyping you up?
• talking to your local drum scene?
• or admiring drummers of the internet?

Then you might have a problem.

At least if external motivation is the only factor that makes you grab your sticks.

Let me explain.

The Problem With Relying On Outside Drumming Inspiration

Inspiration from others can feel amazing.

It’s

• fun,
• energizing and
• a nice treat for the ego.

But here’s the catch:

Nobody else can practice for you.

Only you can do the work.

At the end of the day, you’re responsible for your drumming progress.

External inspiration can spark action, yes.

But it won’t sustain it.

Especially not when times get rough.

And trust me, they will at some point.

Why Drumming Inspiration Alone Won’t Make You Improve

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t feel inspired by others.

What I’m saying is this:

Don’t rely on others to feel inspired.

Instead, find ways to be able to inspire yourself.

That’s what you can control.

Not what other people do or how they react.

Which brings me to the actionable steps you can take next.

1. Define Your “Why”

Why did you start playing the drums?

What do you enjoy most about it?

How does drumming make you feel?

And what do you love about drumming?

Write it ALL down.

Those words are your most reliable fuel.

I love drumming because the way it makes me feel.

It can be as simple as that.

What about you?

2. Set Motivating And Achievable Goals

Each small victory strengthens your internal drumming motivation.

So make each victory count.

• Memorize a new fill.
• Learn the main groove of your favorite song.
• Hit a new mark on the metronome you couldn’t before.

What motivates you to practice drums?

What brings the spark?

And then:

Do. More. Of. It.

3. Create An Easy To Follow Drumming Routine

Stop waiting for inspiration to come around.

Instead, build an easy to follow drum practice routine like

• start with a 2-minute warm-up,
• then play to your favorite song and
• set a timer to practice 15-20 minutes focused.

Remember:

Scheduled consistency beats random inspiration.

If you stick to your schedule, you no longer need to overthink stuff.

You gain clarity by knowing

• what you need to practice next,
• when you practice next and
• how to practice next.

Clarity is a game-changer in achieving your goals.

It’s what you should find when lacking drumming motivation.

4. Focus On Progress, Not Perfection

Perfection is a nice concept.

But what’s perfect, really?

I can tell you what progress is.

But I can’t give you a proper definition for

• a perfect drummer,
• a perfect drum solo
• or the perfect groove.

Yes, there are outstandingly awesome drummers doing incredible drumming stuff out there.

We’re talking jaw-dropping musicianship right now:

Quick Drumming Inspiration Boost

• Drum solos that shaped music history
• Best drum movies and documentaries
• 50 best drum songs of all times

But still …

Would they say that they or there art is perfect?

I highly doubt it.

Most of us want to grow and learn new stuff.

Perfection doesn’t add something new to the daily experience.

That’s when things become boring.

And that’s why I don’t strive for perfection in the first place:

I love challenges.

Focusing on progress provides them.

5. Use External Drumming Inspiration As A Bonus

As I said, there’s no need to avoid external inspiration from others.

It’s just not the best idea to rely on it.

• Videos,
• concerts,
• online drummers?

See them as what they are:

Helpful and a nice bonus, but not essential.

Internal motivation remains the engine, external inspiration can serve as fuel.

With that said:

Make sure to make a move today.

Pick one of my actionable steps today:

• Define your “Why”.
• Set motivating and achievable goals.
• Create an easy to follow drum practice routine.
• Focus on making progress – even the smallest victory counts.

Reading about tips for drumming inspiration is nice and all, but real change comes from taking intentional action.

What will you do today to be more motivated as a drummer?

Share in the comments and then: do it!

All the best to you,

Manu